Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 Release Delayed

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 and 7.0 were originally going to start shipping in March. Now that it's a bit late for that, Samsung has confirmed that the affordable Android tablets will be available in the UK towards the end of April.

Given the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 edition is little more than a tweak of the Samsung Galaxy Tab 10.1, intended to cater for those wanting a more affordable tab (now that 1080p screens and quad-core processors are all the rage) a delay in its release might seem odd. However, it's down to the software, rather than hardware.

Samsung says the bump from a March to April release for both the 7in and 10.1in versions of the Tab 2 is due to work being done to bring Android Ice Cream Sandwich 4.0 to the tablets for launch.The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1 is effectively a Tab 10.1 with some of the fancy bits taken out. Its plastic body feels a little less swanky, and the 3.2MP camera is pretty lowly by current standards, but all the most important features are present. It uses a 1,280 x 800 pixel PLS screen with Gorilla Glass front, a dual-core 1GHz A9 processor, and has both decent internal memory - 16GB or 32GB - and a microSD slot.

And the Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 7.0

The smaller Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 has a 7in screen with a lower 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution, but otherwise maintains a similar level of quality. It has a dual-core TI OMP 1GH processor, PLS screen and 8/16/32GB memory options - with a microSD slot on hand to help out.

Both tablets will run Android Ice Cream Sandwich and are lightweight at sub-600g and sub-350g a piece. The most important factor is still a mystery, though - how much will they cost? With iPad 2 tablets available for £329 and top previous-gen Android tabs like the Asus Eee Pad Transformer selling at a similar price, it'll need to be cheap to have any impact.